UP important for BJP: Shah

BJP national general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Amit Shah, on Wednesday, spelt out his intentions of rejuvenating the party for the coming 2014 Lok Sabha elections and claimed that NDA will form the next government at the Centre.

In his first visit to the state after taking the charge of UP BJP, Narendra Modi’s trusted aide, Shah told mediapersons that people are frustrated with the UPA regime and now NDA will have to fulfill the masses aspiration.

‘UP is very important for the BJP in the 2014 elections and the party will do everything for better results so that NDA could emerge as a leader,’ he said.

Shah also said that Narendra Modi is also expected to tour UP intensively.

‘BJP will concentrate on almost all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state and it will not leave any stone unturned to get maximum seats, he further said.

Earlier, Shah was given a warm welcome at the state party headquarters here this morning. Later the BJP general secretary held meeting with the state office bearers and had one-to-one discussion with the state party president Laxmikant Bajpai and other senior leaders.

Shah is expected to meet with nearly 60 senior leaders of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, including former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh and thereafter will give his report to Narendra Modi.

During his two-day visit, he will examine the factionalism that has cost the party heavily in the last Lok Sabha and assembly elections. The BJP won just 10 of the state’s LS 80 seats while had won 50 assembly seats in 2012.

Shah was arrested in July, 2010 and released three months later. He was Gujarat’s home minister in 2005 when the police killed Sohrabuddin Sheikh allegedly in a fake encounter. He was charged with murder, extortion and kidnapping and was on bail at present.

The BJP general secretary is also expected to discuss with the leaders about the probability of Narendra Modi contest Lok Sabha elections from UP.